Tuttosport: How Allegri’s use of midfield duo is a further sign of squad management

With each passing game, AC Milan’s decision to bring Massimiliano Allegri back for a second spell looks to be the right one.

As Tuttosport (via MilanPress) write this morning, a coach’s work is judged by the results he obtains and how he manages to exploit the squad at his disposal. Allegri is ticking both boxes, with Milan top of the table in Serie A, and with every player having played their part to get there.

All hands on deck

The paper actually focuses mainly on the second point: the great management of the squad and the gradual and precise insertion of some players into the rotations. For example, the midfield duo of Samuele Ricci and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

They have gained more and more confidence and therefore more playing time over recent weeks, after previously seeming as though they were at the bottom of the pecking order. Monday night’s win over Torino showed this.

Photo by Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

The double improvement was clearly visible against the Granata, as the Italian came on and did well and also provided the assist for the winning goal, while the Englishman played in three positions and was a very useful wild card – especially in the second half.

Both are therefore no longer simple reserves, but genuine additional starters. In the second half in Turin, we also began to see some improvements from Christopher Nkunku too, who moved well with Christian Pulisic alongside him. Could he be the next to prove his real value?